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Here's What Wonderfruit Teaches Us About Sustainability

Published: 7 December, 2019
Written by: S@S Insider

Siam@Siam is on the same page.

The sixth edition of Wonderfruit is fast approaching (12-16 December 2019), and this time it comes under the concept of a pop-up city brimming with eco-friendly ideas.

While many people might associate the festival with non-stop music and dancing, Wonderfruit founder Pranitan “Pete” Phornprapha’s mission goes deeper than that. This year, especially, they’re ramping up efforts to promote how living sustainably can be creative, colourful and fun. Call it hedonistic sustainability.

Carbon neutral since 2017, the festival is doing all in its power to cut down on waste—which amounted to 33 tonnes last year alone (much of which was compostable and biodegradable). Not only is all single-use plastic banned from the four-day event, but this year festival-goers must bring their own cup to use for every drink, whether it’s morning coffee or evening poison.

As Official Hotel Partner of Wonderfruit, Siam@Siam Pattaya also feels strongly about pushing for positive change. The hotel only uses straws made 100% from plants. These compostable straws use 65% less energy in their production and contribute 68% fewer greenhouse gases.

When it comes to bathroom toiletries, we’ve also swapped out all travel-size shampoo, conditioner and soap bottles for refillable large containers (from Malin+Goetz, no less!) to help cut down on wasted plastic. Next in the pipeline, we’re replacing all plastic water bottles with sustainable cartons and kitting out all guestrooms with separate bins for recycling and other waste forms. We’re in this for the long-haul.

“People think of Wonderfruit as a music festival, but it’s so much more than that,” said Pranai Phornprapha, Managing Director of Siam@Siam Design Hotels. “Wonderfruit inspired me to do so much more. The workshops, particularly, are so informative. When you’re walking around the festival, you might take for granted just how much they’re doing for the sustainable cause.”

Below are some of the ways in which Wonderfruit is inspiring conscious living.

Eco Pavilion. Credit: Wonderfruit

Talks Drive Action

Knowledge is power, they say. So, make sure to give yourself a little time away from the dance floor with a visit to the Eco Pavilion, where the Scratch Talks series will return in all its glory. Guest speakers will offer fresh perspectives on everything from circular fashion to landscape architecture under the themes of Live, Love or Wonder. Here are just a few talks we’re looking forward to:

  • Lauren Boucher, of Hong Kong-based environmental nonprofit Redress, discusses the issue of textile waste and what’s being done to drive a more sustainable future for fashion.
  • Kanitsanan Thanthitwat, CEO of Thailand’s Global Bugs Asia, talks about the ethical upside of raising edible insects, which produce fewer greenhouse gases and uses less water and space than chicken and other meats, yet contain a tonne of nutrients.
  • Kotchakorn Voraakhom, the Thai landscape architect behind Bangkok’s game-changing Chulalongkorn Centenary Park (located a stone’s throw from Siam@Siam Bangkok) presents her ideas on how smart design can guard against climate change and over-development.

“A Singing Sea” by Satit Raksasri

“Windflower”

Art With a Message

Art has long been central to Wonderfruit’s sustainable message. Scattered throughout the festival grounds are a range of eye-catching, innovative works that not only do wonders for the ‘gram but question what we consider to be waste. Keep your eyes peeled for the oh-so-colourful “A Singing Sea” by Satit Raksasri, an installation-turned-shelter made from discarded sea materials. Stare in stupefied wonder at “Wind Flower,” a collaboration between local builders of Loei province and PO-D Architects that draws on tradition to offer a thoroughly modern whirlwind of colour, sound and lighting. You’ve never visited an art gallery quite like this.

Credit: Wonderfruit

Taking Emissions Personally

How are you travelling to Wonderfruit? Whether it’s by plane, bus or hoverbike, the fact is you can produce a lot of carbon in the process. That’s why Wonderfruit has introduced a nifty emissions calculator on their website that lets you not only tally up your carbon footprint but also purchase carbon offsets. Guilt, be gone!

Soi Stage, Wonderfruit

Function Meets Form

This year’s festival is all about reimagining Wonderfruit as a world built using sustainable materials. The evidence is all around you. Take a moment to admire the craftsmanship of the Bath House, inspired by Japanese onsen culture and made from bamboo; or the Soi Stage made from trash and reclaimed wood. Even things you can’t see have been taken into account: they have reengineered practices like waste management, water, transportation and logistics create a “city” that challenges the way society at large functions.

Living Village, Wonderfruit

PET Project, Wonderfrui

A Living, Breathing City

One welcome new addition this year is the Living Village, a sprawling landscape resembling the senses of the human body: ear, tongue, and hand. In the Ear, you’ll find the Creature Stage, which Indorama Ventures adorned with vibrant fabrics spun from fibres created from recycled PET bottles. The Tongue hosts Ziggurat with Singha, a beer garden of the upcycled variety that’s decked out with materials discarded from the shipping process. Within the Hand, you’ll find workshops geared towards sustainable fashion activities.

 


 

WONDER OUR WAY

Come soak up the art, music, food and big ideas of Wonderfruit with Siam@Siam Pattaya. Stay one night in a Leisure Class room at THB 12,500 net and we’ll throw in a pair of four-day festival passes. Score! And so there’s nothing holding you back, you can also enjoy complimentary round-trip shuttle bus to the fields and late, late breakfast until 11:30am. See here for all the details.

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